corning-



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. G. GORNING.

SAND DISTRIBUTER.

No. 451,458. Patented May 5,1891.

WITNESSES: INIENTURI 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

F. G. OORNING.

SAND DISTRIBUTER.

No. 451,458. Patented May 5,1891.

WITNESSES:

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(11o Model.) F. G. OORNING.

SAND DISTRIBUTER.

No. 451,458. Patented May 5, 1891.

, INVENTDR ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK G. OORNING, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

SAND-:DISTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Tatent No. 451,458, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed February 4, 1891.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. CORN- ING, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Devices for Distributing Sand, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to means for distributing sand upon street -railways or other tracks or surfaces automatically for the purpose of promoting traction.

The invention applies either to motor-driven street-cars or to horse-cars requiring a sanded track to render the brakes effectual. The invention also applies to locomotives.

The object of my invention is to secure a positive delivery of the sand in a measured quantity, whether in a dry condition or in a slightly-damp or partially-frozen condition, as frequently incident to its use upon streetcars.

Heretofore gravity has been relied upon either as the sole means or as a contributory means of delivering the sand from the boxthat is to say, mechanical delivery has been effected by devices partially dependent in their operation upon gravity or acting in a common direction with the descent of the sand. The objectionable feature thus arises of crowding the sand at the point of delivery and obstructing the mechanism when any solidified portion of the material gravitatesinto the movable parts.

By means of my invention I convey the sand from the main body thereof in the box in any desired direction, angular to the vertical or in a substantially horizontal plane to a suitable point or points of delivery, independent of the action of gravity, this constituting the fundamental feature of my said invention.

My invention consists in a sand-box provided with a movable chain or other flexible conveyer extending through the body of sand, bearing at intervals in its length a series of suitable buckets, disks, plates, or other irregular surfaces adapted to engage frictionally with the body of sand and to catch and convey portions thereof to the desired point of delivery.

My invention also consists in certain novel instrumentalities for practicing my invention, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Serial No. 380,220. (No model.)

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation showing a portion of a street-car and my improved sand-box applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, the floor of the car being removed, one portion of the sand apparatus-namely, that in the upper part of the figureappearing in the plane a: 00, Fig. 3, and that in the lower portion of the figure appearing in section in the plane y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a partial transverse section of the lower portion of the car and a part of the sand-box, taken on the line a .2 of Fig. 1. Figs. at and 5 illustrate my invention applied to a locomotive sand-box, said Fig. i representing a cross-sectional elevation thereof and the chutes leading therefrom to the respective rails of the track, and said Fig. 5 representing a horizontal section of Fig. 4, taken on the line as 00. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 illustrate a modification of my invention, said Fig. 6 representing a vertical sectional elevation, said Fig. 7 a vertical section of Fig. 6, taken on the line y y, and said Fig. 8 an oblique section of a portion of Fig. 6, taken on the line .2 .2. Figs. 9,10, and 11 illustrate a few of the various forms of the chain or flexible conveyer that may be used in the practice of my invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, A represents the floor of the car; B, the platform; 0 C, the bed-sills of the car, and D the longitudinal seats within the car.

E represents the track, and F the truckwheels, to which either motive power orbrakes, or both, are applied.

H is the sand-box attached beneath the floor of the car, extendingtransversely thereto at any desired length;

I is the lid of the box comprising a remov-- able section of the floor A, which when removed permits the sand to be introduced from the interior'of the car.

J J represent chutes, through which the loose sand gravitates in small quantities after being delivered by the conveyer.

K is the flexible conveyer, consisting of a chain or equivalent. The form of conveyer shown in Figs. 1, 2,and 3 is of a character similar to an ordinary bucket-pump chain,

being provided with disks 7- at suitable intervals in its length.

a a are tubes through which the chain passes into and out from the box. The said tubes are of a length sufficient to confine at least one space between the disks 7; 7:, whereby to prevent the sand from being shaken out when the chain is stationary. The openings of these tubes a a are slightly diverged to prevent the disks 7; catching thereon. I also provide elongations a of the tubes a, extending within the box. These elongations have tapered exterior surfaces that act as wedges to divert the sand from the chain during its outward passage and prevent clogging. Z) Z) are sprocket-wheels for propelling the chain. I have shown the sprocket-wheels and the chain in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, as occupying a horizontal orbit of rotation.

Motion is imparted to the chain by means of one of the sprocket-wheels I) through any suitable hand or power appliance. That illustrated consists of a worm-wheel g, engaging with the worm-gear 72, upon a shaft of one of the sprocket-wheels b, which device is operated from the hand-crank c on the dashboard of the car. The shaft 6, bearing the worm g, and the crank-shaft d are geared together by bevel-gears ff, as seen in Fig. 1.

As appears in the cross-sectional view of the box in Fig. 1, the bottom thereof is furrowed to provide ways or troughs for the chains, the converging sides of these troughs tending to direct the sand against the links, and thereby permit the chain to completely remove the sand when the box is nearly empty. The sprocket-wheels I), having solid teeth between the notches therein, pry out any portions of sand adhering to the chain between the disks after its passage out from the box, insuring a complete disengagen'lent of the material.

The axes of the sprocket-wheels are located vertically above the track-rails, so that the discharged portions of sand'may descend as directly as possible. The hoppers J of the chutes J are concentric with the sprocketwheels and catch the sand at whatever point it falls from the exposed part of the chain.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I have illustrated a fur ther feature of my invention, consisting in one or more stirring-wheels s s .9, having spurs that engage with the chain to receive rotation. The wheels 8 agitate the body of sand and assist to break up any frozen or eakcd portions thereof, and also keep the mass in motion, and thereby prevent the form ing of tunnels where the chain passes, especially in damp sand. Any one of these wheels may, moreover, be utilized as a driving-wheel for the chain, the power being applied, for instance, to the central wheels in lieu of the sprocket wheel I). The chain K, passing twice through the body of sand, permits the chief portion of its length to be utilized. It is immaterial in which direction the device is rotated. The sand is delivered substantially at the same points, irrespective of the direc tion of rotation. A distinct apparatus pertains to each end of the car, that in front of the ear, according to its direction of travel, being always used. Owing to the elongated dimensions of the box, a large capacity is secured, seldom requiring the box to be refilled. The box being shallow and the sand distributed over a considerable length of chain affords a large plowing or cutting surface for the chain, giving it ample opportunity to become filled with sand before its exit from the box when the mass is eakcd or in a partlyfrozen condition.

The foregoing description applies in all substantial respects to 4t and 5. The hoppers .l in this instance are boxed in, so as to cover the working parts. The propelling mechanism indicated consists of worm-gears m n and a shaft 0, extending to the cab of the locomotive for convenient access by the engineer.

In the application of the apparatus to streetcars it will be obvious that independent chains may be used in conjunction with separate sand-boxes on either side of the car, or that an elongated box may be located longitudinally with reference to the ear upon each side thereof adjacent to the track-wheels, being operated to deposit the sand at either end of the car in advance of the truck. In such instances a single side of the orbit of the chain should pass through the body of sand, whereby to deliver at a single point. One such modification is illustrated by Figs. 6, 7, and 8, in which I also show the features of rotating the chain in a vertical plane and, moreover, conveying the sand in actual opposition to gravity.

The box II in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is inclined for convenience of position with reference to the chain. The box or hopper is placed beneath the seats D, Fig. 3, at each side of the car, so that the chute J will be located vertically above the track-rail. Motion is imparted to either of the sprocket-wheels Z) to drive the chain K by means of suitable mechanism, such as that of the character hereinbefore described, and the chain is rotated in the direction indicated by arrows. II is the bottom of the box, on which the chain rests beneath the body of sand. If is a trough through which the chain returns and dis charges the sand into the chute J. The chain or conveyor K enters at the lowest point a in the body of sand, moving upward and tending to agitate and release any solidified portions or hard substances that naturally settle to the bottom, the delivery being effected at the point a through the unconfined surface of the mass.

The apparatus illustrated in Figs. (3, '7, and 8 (not specifically claimed herein) is introduced for the purpose of indicating the intended scope of my invention, but is claimed specifically in a separate patent application filed simultaneously herewith.

It will be evident that the flexible conveyers K may be devised in a variety of forms for the purpose of carrying out my invention.

In addition to the form shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 9 indicates an oblong link-chain having disks integral with each link, so as to render the cutting or plowing edges thereof rigid with reference to the axis of the chain.

The modification in Fig. 10 represents a wire cable, having the disks 7c firmly attached thereto. That in Fig. 11 represents double chains K K, supportlng transversely-elongated buckets 70 between them. In a chain of the character shown in Fig. 11 a flexible belt may be substituted for the chains K K.

I consider it of advantage to operate the chain in contact with the bottom of the box or upon a side thereof receiving the pressure of the sand, whereby the conveyer may be rigidly supported to form a plowing or cutting surface for breaking up and removing any caked portions. The chains or flexible conveyer may, moreover, be passed through any desired course of rotation within the body of sand irrespective of the walls of the box.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sand-box provided with a movable chain or other flexible conveyer bearing at intervals in its length a series of projections and occupying an orbit having one portion included within the body of sand and another portion exterior to the box.

2. The combination, with a sand-box, of a movable chain or other flexible conveyer extending through the body of sand, bearing a series of buckets or projections, and tubu lar openings in the walls of the box for the passage of the buckets, confining one or more intervals between the same, for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with a sand-box, of a movable endless chain or other flexible conveyer having a portion of its orbit included within the body of sand and another portion exterior thereto and bearing a series of buck ets or projections, and sprocket-wheels conducting the said conveyer, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a sand-box, of a movable chain or conveyer extending through the body of sand and arotary agitating-wheel within the box, having tangential engagement therewith.

5. The combination, with a sand-box, of a movable endless chain or conveyer extending through the body of sand, sprocket-wheels exterior to the box for directing the chain or conveyer, and an agitating-wheel within the box engaging with the said chain or conveyer.

6. The combination, with a railway-vehicle, of a sand-box, an endless chain or conveyer extending through the body of sand twice in its circuit, sprocket-wheels for directing the conveyer at opposite sides of the vehicle, and chutes beneath the portions of the conveyer exterior to the box for conducting the sand to the respective rails of the track.

7. The combination, with a railway-car, of a Sandbox beneath the body of the car, alid thereof forming a section of the floor of the car, and a flexible conveyer extending th rough the box for delivering the sand to the track.

1 8. The combination,witharailway-vehicle, of a sand-box, an endless flexible conveyer extending through the body of sand and delivering the same to the track, sprocketwheels for the conveyer, and hand-operating mechanism, substantially as described, for effecting and controlling the delivery of the sand at will.

FREDERICK G. CORNING.

Witnesses:

M. J. SPENCER, WILLIS VAN VALKINBURGH. 

